


The Truth and Other Deadly Weapons

by Valaks



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Actions have Consequences Alex Rider, Assassins Don’t Need a Gun to Kill Your Credibility, Drabble, Former SCORPIA operative isn’t something that ever comes off your file, Gen, MI6 is not always to blame, No Matter the Results
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27785917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valaks/pseuds/Valaks
Summary: Alex hadn’t always made the best choices, but he comforted himself that he had done the right thing in the end. Unfortunately the ends justify the means only for those in power and the intelligence world has a long memory.
Relationships: Alex Rider & Ben Daniels
Comments: 10
Kudos: 114





	The Truth and Other Deadly Weapons

“Rider,” his gut clenched at the voice, he had never really considered that any of his classmates would have survived the fall of SCORPIA but there was no question that this was Klaus. Two years after Malagosto and he was looking rather worse for wear. “Long time no see”

And that seemed to get everyone’s attention. “You know him?”

Denying it wouldn’t improve the situation, Klaus knew enough about him from Malagosto to convince them. He settled for a nod “We met on a mission.”

“Is that what you’re calling your time at Malagosto?” It was like the air had been sucked out of the plane

“Yeah” he returned without blinking. “That’s exactly what I’m calling it.”

“You seemed pretty sincere about joining SCORRPIA at the time…” It was a damning indictment in a plane full of spec ops who would have likely been briefed on the organization.

“SCORPIA? You joined SCORPIA?” Ben was studying him, looking for any hint of a lie. 

“It was a mission. They were planning an attack and we needed intel so they sent me in deep cover.”

Klaus laughed darkly “Got himself fast tracked straight to the assassin training school.” He paused to let that sink in, they were soldiers but the idea of what they saw as “just a kid” having gone through that sort of training unsettled them.“Something about family connections? Your Dad, wasn’t it?”

Every eye in the cargo hold turned to him. 

Oh fuck. 

“Dad was a deep cover operative too, before I was born, SCORPIA killed him when they found out.” He explained, hoping to garner some sympathy to turn the tide in his favor. “Blunt thought that revenge might get me in the door. He was right.” 

Alex had his own suspicions that Blunt had been grooming him to go to SCORPIA eventually but the fact was, he had gone on his own. With the intention to join or at the very least get answers. 

They didn’t need to know that. 

“And you just...left?” He didn’t miss the thread of doubt 

“I blew my cover to stop the operation.” 

“What happened to never forgive, never forget?” And of course Ben would remember that. 

“They tried to assassinate me. Didn’t get the shot right, hope that wasn’t you” Klaus’ lip curled into a sneer. 

“Why don’t we test it?” The German offered. 

“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?” Ben snapped.

“I suppose there’s already one SCORPIA operative talking so I can sit back” Klaus offered and he should have known he wouldn’t let it go

“I am  _ not...” _

_ “ _ Sure, kid” Klaus scoffed “you have the training and now you have your new masters hunting us down to hush you up. So did you sell us out when you got cold feet or did you get captured?”

That hit a little close to home. 

He tried not to react but from the way Ben shifted just a little further away he hadn’t succeeded. “Hard to sell you out when I was working for ‘6 already.”

“A lot of recruits come over from agencies - get burned out and bitter. From what you said then you didn’t exactly sign up for this...” The chains rattled as he gestured to the plane.

“It was a cover.”

“It’s not. You were what? 14 at the time?”

And hell he couldn’t lie about that without Ben catching it and thinking he was lying about everything else.

“Not even old enough to shave and walking around Malagosto like you owned the place. Rothman’s and Nile’s little pet.”

Those names seemed to catch Ben’s attention but he didn’t step in “They’re dead along with the operation they were leading to kill every child in Britain.” Maybe that would help sway the court of public opinion because the neutral looks from the ex fil team were very quickly descending into distrust. 

“Did you kill them for your graduation assignment, Alex?” No. He had failed that, but he hadn’t missed with the fire and Nile. “Or was it to prove your loyalty?”

“It was to stop them. I’m sorry if that killed your plan for a happy life as a SCORPIA assassin.”

“Can’t kill much of anything right now.” Except his reputation and Ben’s trust. And he was doing a damn good job at it. From his smirk, Klaus knew it too. 

“Shouldn’t have gotten caught then, guess you missed that lesson. I’d say you should ask for a refund but there’s not much of SCORPIA left anymore”

“Yeah, thanks for that.” Klaus realized his mistake too late because the mood in the cargo hold shifted from distrustful to assessing. He could work with that. 

“Bet it’s been a bitch for you - finding contracts and covers and planning your own hits wasn’t really  _ covered _ at Malagosto, was it?”

Klaus opened his mouth to respond but was quickly cut off. 

“I think that’s enough.” Ben  _ finally _ stepped in. The soldiers who had gathered shared a look then mercifully moved away. 

“Let’s go” he was pushed to the front of the plane. 

He took the seat nearest the cockpit and pulled down the jump seat, slumping gratefully into it, the adrenaline crash from the confrontation and the physical toll of the operation finally catching up to him. He fumbled with the harness but finally managed to secure it and leaned his head back, closing his eyes only to snap them back open when he felt hands on his harness. Ben was leaning over him, tugging at the straps. Did he really think Alex couldn’t get his fucking harness done right? 

“Want to tell me what really happened?”

“I was undercover -” 

“ _ Alex. _ ” More sigh than reprimand. He supposed he deserved that. 

“I just...my Dad was in it and…” he really didn’t have a good answer. There was no way to justify joining a terrorist organization, it had been a mistake but one of the magnitude that would shatter his partner’s trust, Alex couldn’t exactly blame him for it but that didn’t mean he wanted it to happen either “Blunt thought it would get me in the door, it worked, the op was stopped. That’s all I can really say.” 

Ben surveyed him then stepped back to his seat without another word. 

“Ben…”

“No, Alex. We’re never talking about this again. Get some sleep.” And then he was pulling on headphones to drown out the drone of the plane that would be their next 12 hours. He couldn’t stop himself from looking at Klaus who gave him a nod. An eye for an eye he guessed. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Ahuuda as always for the inspiration. Lil Lupin enabled too. Bless them both.


End file.
